Brand
name :Rohypnol
Flunitrazepam
Manufacturer:Hoffman-La Roche
Rohypnol is a short-acting benzodiazepine with general properties
similar to those of Valium. It is used in the short-term treatment
of insomnia, as a pre-medication in surgical procedures and for inducing
anaesthesia.
Like other benzodiazepines (such as Valium, Librium and Xanax), Rohypnol's
effects include sedation, muscle relaxation, reduction in anxiety,
and prevention of convulsions. However, Rohypnol's sedative effects
are approximately 7 to 10 times stronger than Valium. The effects of
Rohypnol appear 15 to 20 minutes after administration and last approximately
four to six hours. Some residual effects can be found 12 hours or more
after administration.
Important information about Rohypnol - hOW tO Buy without
a prescription
Rohypnol has never been approved for medical use in the United States,
therefore, doctors cannot prescribe it and pharmacists cannot sell
it. However, it is legally prescribed in over 50 other countries and
is widely available in Mexico, Colombia, and Europe where it is used
for the treatment of insomnia and as a pre-anesthetic. Therefore, it
was placed into Schedule IV of the Controlled Substances Act in 1984
due to international treaty obligations and remains under that classification.
Rohypnol causes partial amnesia; individuals are unable to remember
certain events that they experienced while under the influence of the
drug. This effect is particularly dangerous when Rohypnol is used to
aid in the commission of sexual assault; victims may not be able to
clearly recall the assault, the assailant, or the events surrounding
the assault. It is difficult to estimate just how many Rohypnol-facilitated
rapes have occurred in the United States. Very often, biological samples
are taken from the victim at a time when the effects of the drug have
already passed and only residual amounts remain in the body fluids.
These residual amounts are difficult, if not impossible, to detect
using standard screening assays available in the United States. If
Rohypnol exposure is to be detected at all, urine samples need to be
collected within 72 hours and subjected to sensitive analytical tests.
The problem is compounded by the onset of amnesia after ingestion of
the drug, which causes the victim to be uncertain about the facts surrounding
the rape. This uncertainty may lead to critical delays or even reluctance
to report the rape and to provide appropriate biological samples for
toxicology testing.
Abuse Potential
While Rohypnol has become widely known for its use as a date-rape
drug, it is abused more frequently for other reasons. It is abused
by high school students, college students, street gang members, rave
party attendees, and heroin and cocaine abusers to produce profound
intoxication, boost the high of heroin, and modulate the effects of
cocaine. Rohypnol is usually consumed orally, is often combined with
alcohol, and is abused by crushing tablets and snorting the powder.
Rohypnol abuse causes a number of adverse effects in the abuser, including
drowsiness, dizziness, loss of motor control, lack of coordination,
slurred speech, confusion, and gastrointestinal disturbances, lasting
12 or more hours. Higher doses produce respiratory depression.
Chronic use of Rohypnol can result in physical dependence and the
appearance of withdrawal syndrome when the drug is discontinued. Rohypnol
impairs cognitive and psychomotor functions affecting reaction time
and driving skill. The use of this drug in combination with alcohol
is a particular concern as both substances potentiate each other's
toxicity.
Rohypnol Street Names
